From: blpsmilin@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 4:30 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Oppose FDA's New Regulations on Genetically Engineered Food
Beth Phillips
Corolla, NC 27927
blpsmilin@aol.com
RE: Docket No. 00N-1396, and 00D-1598
Dear FDA,
I am outraged by your new policies on genetically engineered (GE) foods. Despite overwhelming consumer demand, your agency still fails to require safety testing and mandatory labeling for GE foods. Your "notification" policy is an insult to consumers, and irresponsibly ignores strong scientific evidence of numerous potential health and environmental risks to GE foods. You are aware that these foods could be toxic, could cause allergic responses, could have lower nutrition value, could compromise immune responses in consumers, and could cause irreparable damage to the environment, and STILL fail to act responsibly.
I am also greatly opposed to your new "voluntary labeling" policy, which denies consumers a basic right to know. Without mandatory labeling, neither consumers nor health professionals will know if an allergic or toxic reaction was the result of a genetically engineered food. Consumers will also be deprived of the critical knowledge they need to hold food producers liable should any of these novel foods prove hazardous.
Your proposed rules ignore serious concerns, and appear to be a decision made to convenience industry at the expense of public health and the environment. Is that your intent? I implore you to take my concern along with the thousands of others and act in behalf of people, not industry. Sincerely, Beth Phillips
Beth Phillips